God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars: 365 Daily Challenges to Grow Your Marriage

By Julia M. Bruce

There’s no doubt that marriage is hard work. Yet it can also be one of the most fulfilling relationships you can experience, outside of your relationship with God. However, many marriages leave God outside of the relationship. Godly marriages do not happen without cultivating it, investing in it, and putting God first in your individual lives and in your marriage.
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
• Scripture to memorize and meditate on
• Conversation Starters
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
• Romance Builders
• Relationship Builders
• Personal reflections
• Date ideas
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973640486

Julia M. Bruce

Julie Bruce is CEO of Wellspring Christian Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people develop passionate relationships with God. Additionally, Julie is a public speaker, conference trainer, event planner, and blog writer. You can join her on the web or request her to speak at your next Christian event at www.wellspringchristianministries.org. A two-time graduate from Grand Canyon University, Julie has a Bachelor in Psychology and a Masters in Professional Counseling. Through Biblical study and her own life experiences, God has given her a passion to help people understand His design for marriage. She strives to help couples learn to place God first in their marriage, cultivate meaningful relationships, build intimacy, and address the tougher issues that come in every marriage so that they can experience a marriage and relationship that honors and glorifies God.

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 Julia M. Bruce.

Editor: Rayce Smallwood

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-4049-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-4050-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-4048-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018911531

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/23/2018

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Bible (Authorized Version of 1611). Public domain.

Scripture quotations marked NASB taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Day 1 Romance Builder

Day 2 Memorize & Discuss

Day 3 Conversation Starter

Day 4 Relationship Builder

Day 5 Faith & Marriage

Day 6 Personal Reflection

Day 7 Date night

Day 8 Date night

Day 9 Memorize & Discuss

Day 10 Conversation Starter

Day 11 Relationship Builder

Day 12 Faith & Marriage

Day 13 Romance Builder

Day 14 Date Night

Day 15 Date Day

Day 16 Memorize & Discuss

Day 17 Conversation Starter

Day 18 Relationship Builder

Day 19 Faith & Marriage

Day 20 Personal Reflection

Day 21 Date Night

Day 22 Date Day

Day 23 Memorize & Discuss

Day 24 Conversation Starter

Day 25 Relationship Builder

Day 26 Faith & Marriage

Day 27 Romance Builder

Day 28 Date Night

Day 29 Date Day

Day 30 Memorize & Discuss

Day 31 Conversation Starter

Day 32 Relationship Builder

Day 33 Faith & Marriage

Day 34 Personal Reflection

Day 35 Date Night

Day 36 Date Day

Day 37 Memorize & Discuss

Day 38 Conversation Starter

Day 39 Relationship Builder

Day 40 Faith & Marriage

Day 41 Romance Builder

Day 42 Date Weekend

Day 43 Date Weekend

Day 44 Memorize & Discuss

Day 45 Conversation Starter

Day 46 Relationship Builder

Day 47 Faith and Marriage

Day 48 Personal Reflection

Day 49 Date Night

Day 50 Date Day

Day 51 Memorize & Discuss

Day 52 Conversation Starter

Day 53 Relationship Builder

Day 54 Faith & Marriage

Day 55 Romance Builder

Day 56 Date Night

Day 57 Date Day

Day 58 Memorize & Discuss

Day 59 Conversation Starter

Day 60 Relationship Builder

Day 61 Faith & Marriage

Day 62 Personal Reflection

Day 63 Date Night

Day 64 Home Date Night

Day 65 Memorize & Discuss

Day 66 Conversation Starter

Day 67 Relationship Builder

Day 68 Faith & Marriage

Day 69 Romance Builder

Day 70 Group Date Night

Day 71 Date Day

Day 72 Memorize & Discuss

Day 73 Conversation Starter

Day 74 Relationship Builder

Day 75 Faith & Marriage

Day 76 Romance Builder

Day 77 Date Day

Day 78 Date Day

Day 79 Memorize & Discuss

Day 80 Conversation Starter

Day 81 Relationship Builder

Day 82 Faith & Marriage

Day 83 Personal Reflection

Day 84 Date Night

Day 85 Date Day

Day 86 Memorize & Discuss

Day 87 Conversation Starter

Day 88 Relationship Builder

Day 89 Faith & Marriage

Day 90 Romance Builder

Day 91 Group Date Night

Day 92 Date Day

Day 93 Memorize & Discuss

Day 94 Conversation Starter

Day 95 Relationship Builder

Day 96 Faith & Marriage

Day 97 Romance Builder

Day 98 Home Date Night

Day 99 Date Day

Day 100 Memorize & Discuss

Day 101 Conversation Starter

Day 102 Relationship Builder

Day 103 Faith & Marriage

Day 104 Personal Reflection

Day 105 Home Date Night

Day 106 Date Night

Day 107 Memorize & Discuss

Day 108 Conversation Starter

Day 109 Relationship Builder

Day 110 Faith & Marriage

Day 111 Romance Builder

Day 112 Date Night

Day 113 Date Day

Day 114 Memorize and Discuss

Day 115 Conversation Starter

Day 116 Relationship Builder

Day 117 Faith & Marriage

Day 118 Personal Reflection

Day 119 Date night

Day 120 Group Date Day

Day 121 Memorize and Discuss

Day 122 Conversation Starter

Day 123 Relationship Builder

Day 124 Faith & Marriage

Day 125 Romance Builder

Day 126 Weekend retreat

Day 127 Weekend retreat

Day 128 Memorize & Discuss

Day 129 Conversation Starter

Day 130 Relationship Builder

Day 131 Faith & Marriage

Day 132 Personal Reflection

Day 133 Date Night

Day 134 Memorize & Discuss

Day 135 Conversation Starter

Day 136 Relationship Builder

Day 137 Faith & Marriage

Day 138 Romance Builder

Day 139 Group Date Night

Day 140 Date Night

Day 141 Memorize & Discuss

Day 142 Conversation Starter

Day 143 Relationship Builder

Day 144 Faith & Marriage

Day 145 Personal Reflection

Day 146 Date Night

Day 147 Group Date Day

Day 148 Discuss and Memorize

Day 149 Conversation Starter

Day 150 Relationship Builder

Day 151 Faith & Marriage

Day 152 Romance Builder

Day 153 Date Jar

Day 154 Date Day

Day 155 Memorize and Discuss

Day 156 Conversation Starter

Day 157 Relationship Builder

Day 158 Faith & Marriage

Day 159 Personal Reflection

Day 160 Home Date Night

Day 161 Date Day

Day 162 Memorize & Discuss

Day 163 Conversation Starter

Day 164 Relationship Builder

Day 165 Faith & Marriage

Day 166 Romance Builder

Day 167 Home Date Night

Day 168 Date Day

Day 169 Memorize & Discuss

Day 170 Conversation Starter

Day 171 Relationship Builder

Day 172 Faith & Marriage

Day 173 Personal Reflection

Day 174 Date night

Day 175 Date Day

Day 176 Memorize & Discuss

Day 177 Conversation Starter

Day 178 Relationship Builder

Day 179 Faith & Marriage

Day 180 Romance Builder

Day 181 Group Date Night

Day 182 Date Night

Day 183 Memorize & Discuss

Day 184 Conversation Starter

Day 185 Relationship Builder

Day 186 Faith & Marriage

Day 187 Personal Reflection

Day 188 Date Jar

Day 189 Date Day

Day 190 Memorize & Discuss

Day 191 Conversation Starter

Day 192 Relationship Builder

Day 193 Faith & Marriage

Day 194 Romance Builder

Day 195 Date Night

Day 196 Group Date Day

Day 197 Memorize & Discuss

Day 198 Conversation Starter

Day 199 Relationship Builder

Day 200 Faith & Marriage

Day 201 Personal Reflection

Day 202 Home Date Night

Day 203 Date Day

Day 204 Memorize & Discuss

Day 205 Conversation Starter

Day 206 Relationship Builder

Day 207 Faith & Marriage

Day 208 Romance Builder

Day 209 Date Night

Day 210 Date Day

Day 211 Memorize & Discuss

Day 212 Conversation Starter

Day 213 Relationship Builder

Day 214 Faith & Marriage

Day 215 Personal Reflection

Day 216 Date Jar

Day 217 Date Day

Day 218 Memorize & Discuss

Day 219 Conversation Starter

Day 220 Relationship Builder

Day 221 Faith & Marriage

Day 222 Romance Builder

Day 223 Date Night

Day 224 Date Day

Day 225 Memorize & Discuss

Day 226 Conversation Starter

Day 227 Relationship Builder

Day 228 Faith & Marriage

Day 229 Personal Reflection

Day 230 Date Night

Day 231 Date Day

Day 232 Memorize & Discuss

Day 233 Conversation Starter

Day 234 Relationship Builder

Day 235 Faith & Marriage

Day 236 Romance Builder

Day 237 Date Night

Day 238 Group Date Night

Day 239 Memorize & Discuss

Day 240 Conversation Starter

Day 241 Relationship Builder

Day 242 Faith & Marriage

Day 243 Personal Reflection

Day 244 Date Jar

Day 245 Date Day

Day 246 Memorize & Discuss

Day 247 Conversation Starter

Day 248 Relationship Builder

Day 249 Faith & Marriage

Day 250 Romance Builder

Day 251 Date Night

Day 252 Group Date Day

Day 253 Memorize & Discuss

Day 254 Conversation Starter

Day 255 Relationship Builder

Day 256 Faith & Marriage

Day 257 Personal Reflection

Day 258 Date Night

Day 259 Date Day

Day 260 Memorize & Discuss

Day 261 Conversation Starter

Day 262 Relationship Builder

Day 263 Faith & Marriage

Day 264 Romance Builder

Day 265 Date Night

Day 266 Date Day

Day 267 Memorize & Discuss

Day 268 Conversation Starter

Day 269 Relationship Builder

Day 270 Faith & Marriage

Day 271 Personal Reflection

Day 272 Date Night

Day 273 Date Day

Day 274 Memorize & Discuss

Day 275 Conversation Starter

Day 276 Relationship Builder

Day 277 Faith & Marriage

Day 278 Romance Builder

Day 279 Date Night

Day 280 Date Day

Day 281 Memorize & Discuss

Day 282 Conversation Starter

Day 283 Relationship Builder

Day 284 Faith & Marriage

Day 285 Personal Reflection

Day 286 Group Date Night

Day 287 Date Day

Day 288 Memorize & Discuss

Day 289 Conversation Starter

Day 290 Relationship Builder

Day 291 Faith & Marriage

Day 292 Romance Builder

Day 293 Date Night

Day 294 Date Day

Day 295 Memorize & Discuss

Day 296 Conversation Starter

Day 297 Relationship Builder

Day 298 Faith & Marriage

Day 299 Personal Reflection

Day 300 Weekend Getaway

Day 301 Weekend Getaway

Day 302 Memorize & Discuss

Day 303 Conversation Starter

Day 304 Relationship Builder

Day 305 Faith & Marriage

Day 306 Romance Builder

Day 307 Date Night

Day 308 Group Date Day

Day 309 Memorize & Discuss

Day 310 Conversation Starter

Day 311 Relationship Builder

Day 312 Faith & Marriage

Day 313 Personal Reflection

Day 314 Date Night

Day 315 Family Date Day

Day 316 Memorize & Discuss

Day 317 Conversation Starter

Day 318 Relationship Builder

Day 319 Faith & Marriage

Day 320 Romance Builder

Day 321 Group Date Night

Day 322 Date Day

Day 323 Memorize & Discuss

Day 324 Conversation Starter

Day 325 Relationship Builder

Day 326 Faith & Marriage

Day 327 Personal Reflection

Day 328 Date Night

Day 329 Date Day

Day 330 Memorize & Discuss

Day 331 Conversation Starter

Day 332 Relationship Builder

Day 333 Faith & Marriage

Day 334 Romance Builder

Day 335 Date Night

Day 336 Date Day

Day 337 Memorize & Discuss

Day 338 Conversation Starter

Day 339 Relationship Builder

Day 340 Faith & Marriage

Day 341 Personal Reflection

Day 342 Group Date Night

Day 343 Date Night

Day 344 Memorize & Discuss

Day 345 Conversation Starter

Day 346 Relationship Builder

Day 347 Faith & Marriage

Day 348 Romance Builder

Day 349 Date Night

Day 350 Date Night

Day 351 Memorize & Discuss

Day 352 Conversation Starter

Day 353 Relationship Builder

Day 354 Faith & Marriage

Day 355 Personal Reflection

Day 356 Date Night

Day 357 Date Night

Day 358 Christmas Eve

Day 359 Christmas Day

Day 360 Relationship Builder

Day 361 Faith & Marriage

Day 362 Romance Builder

Day 363 Date Night

Day 364 Date Night

Day 365 New Year’s Eve

Bibliography

This book is dedicated to my parents who modeled a Godly marriage. My sisters and I could not have had a better example to follow. I love you.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to my husband, Brian, who has been the voice to say Yes you can! when I have said "no I can’t. You encouraged me through two degrees and all the way to the end of this project and wouldn’t let me quit when the task seemed daunting. Now, on to the next project! Thanks for always dreaming with me!

To my editor, Rayce Smallwood, who also happens to be my son, thank you for making mom look good. I am so very proud of you and can’t wait to see how God uses you.

Thank you to my two adult children, Rayce and Katelyn for always taking every journey with me. You’ve listened to me talk about this book for a year and kept cheering me on— just as you always have.

Mom, thank you for believing in me. I love you.

Thank you to my proofreading team who got lots of laughs from my typos, and some BBQ pulled pork: Mom, Brian, Rayce, and Katelyn. You all are a part of making this book a reality.

Thank you to my team at the office who prayed for me and over this book. You ladies are all such a joy to work with, and I love how the light of Christ shines through each of you: Nikki, Katie, Hannah, Brandi, and Crystal.

Thank you to my board of directors who acknowledge the need for a book like this and have prayed with us to make it happen:

Brian, Shari, Kathy, Cathleen, and Micheal.

Thank you to our pastors who have shared our excitement in this project and prayed for me through the process. Bro. Bobby and Bro. Jonathon, Numbers 6:24-26.

The number of people who have prayed this book into existence and continue to pray for God to place it in the hands of those who need it and to do what only He can do in the hearts of those who read it are too many to list, but you all know who you are. Thank you for partnering with me to pray over every word.

There’s no doubt that marriage is hard work. It can also be one of the most fulfilling relationships you can experience, outside of your relationship with God. However, many marriages leave God outside of the relationship, setting it up for failure. Godly marriages do not happen without cultivating, investing, and putting God first both in your individual lives and in your marriage. The first step to achieving a Godly marriage is to understand God’s design for marriage. Through the daily activities in this book, you will take a journey together to help you understand what God intended marriage to be while also building togetherness, romance, communication, and intimacy.

This book has 365 daily activities for couples and follows a calendar year. However, the activities do not have to be completed in order as they appear. They are arranged to start your week on Sunday with a scripture verse to memorize and discuss and ends each week with date night ideas for your weekend. Feel free to move them around to fit your daily life, budget, and schedules. You can also repeat the ones you really enjoy. No matter when you begin this book, you can begin with that day of the year. If you miss a day, it’s okay! Just jump back in and keep going. You can repeat the book year after year.

Inside you will find simple activities that are quick to complete on a busy weeknight, as well as others that are intended to be date night activities and might need to occur on a weekend or whatever day you have off work. You might need to budget for some activities, and some will require advance planning, so you will want to look ahead. You will also find conversation starters to get you talking about the more complex, difficult, or deeper issues in marriage. The personal reflection activities are designed to help each of you consider your own contributions to your marriage and consider any adjustments you might need to make personally. You will also find Bible verses to memorize as a couple, activities to build romance in your marriage, and fun things to do with other couples.

Most importantly, each week, you will focus on a Biblical concept related to a God-centered marriage. Christian couples understand that God laid the foundation for His design for marriage within the pages of the Bible. This book takes you on a journey through those teachings that you can then apply to your marriage.

As you go through the different activities, take photos and post them on social media with #GLMWdates and upload them to the God, Love, & Marshmallow Wars’ Facebook page. We look forward to seeing all your photos. Also, use your photos to create a memories photo album or scrapbook as you go through the various activities of this book. Add captions to go with your photos and include the date you did that activity.

If you are ready to be intentional about having a closer relationship and a marriage that honors God, the activities in this book will help you take positive steps towards the marriage God intended.

Arise, my darling.

Come away, my beautiful one.

For now the winter is past;

the rain has ended and gone away.

The blossoms appear in the countryside.

The time of singing has come,

and the turtledove’s cooing is heard in our land.

The fig tree ripens its figs;

the blossoming vines give off their fragrance.

Arise, my darling.

Come away, my beautiful one.

69858.png Song of Solomon 2:10-13

Day 1

Romance Builder

Renew your vows together under the stars and make some New Year’s Resolutions for your marriage.

The wedding vows spoken by each of you represent your intent and commitment— a covenant— to each other and to God to live together as husband and wife until death us do part. However, when challenges arise and marriages get tough, some begin to consider the possibility of calling it quits. Taking time once a year to repeat and renew the vows you made to each other can help you keep your focus on the commitments you made.

Find a place under the stars with just the two of you and renew your wedding vows to each other. If you shared unique vows or wrote your own, repeat those same vows. If you had traditional vows or don’t